Askellonin Synnit

Sins of the past shall be the Doom of us all

Huntress' Letter

The spider's gambit

To Harratos and his friends

First of all, I tricked you. I knew what sort of reaction my former brother’s dying words would have on my old self, what would result from that. I knew it would reduce your resources quite significantly, and that was the point – I want you gone. You’ve played your part, it’s time to let others shine. And you did well – Ice Heart’s support is gone from Kell, perhaps not in a way you envisioned, but it is gone nonetheless. Kell never got the Key, nor will he get the Chronodex – opening Echidna’s prison will be nigh impossible. Kell will still do it of course, he can accomplish the impossible after all. There will be no incompetent ‘saint’ trying to guide you, in the false hope that it will accomplish something. You are free.

Oh, and make no mistake: someone else will step up to defend Askellon. Someone always does – although, the Inquisition will not be the group responsible, and I am sure you agree the Askellonian Inquisition is indifferent at best, actively malicious at worst, so this is for the best. I believe someone who has more… selfish reasons is better suited to stopping the Thrice Chosen and Ya’Damnaiach. I wish my old self had been more pro active, but better late than never, right?

I’m sure you are curious as to why I seem to care so much. The reason is that I must – my old self took a blood oath, along with all the rest of the sorry fools who were in Drazitine’s retinue. The old man was smart enough to realize that Languin was going to become a Demon sooner or later, so he devised a way to ensure that she would keep on being loyal to the cause, so to speak. ”To the Emperor, and to whoever else might be listening, we hereby swear this oath in blood – no matter how long it takes, no matter what we shall become, we will stop any Thrice Chosen from ever fulfilling their fate. The ancient beast shall be slain one day. We shall never cease fighting for Askellon. This we swear in blood.”
I have underlined the key parts, the parts that still bind me, and the Lady as well (albeit she doesn’t know it, she just rationalizes her desire to stop the Thrice Chosen as wanting to keep her ‘playfield’ intact. The bastard wiped her own memory upon being dragged into the Warp. She doesn’t remember the torturous beginning, how everything she was got twisted through means most painful. I do. I have forgotten nothing.). Drazitine knew well how to choose his words. My old self would have been thankful for that, perhaps. After all, it ensured that no matter how cruel and monstrous I become, I will still fulfill Drazitine’s wishes. And don’t let my tone here fool you, very little of my old self remains, besides how much I loathe Lady/Languin.

Oh, and speaking of the Lady? She will be quite distracted by her shiny new toy, and I am fairly certain she will not interfere anymore in your lives, and when it comes to Askellon’s fate, she should leave meddling in that to, well, me. For a while at least.

Of course, there is still one more obstacle you will have to overcome before you can leave all this behind you – escaping this planet. Whether it is through that Tarnov’s doorway, hidden on the Witch Isles, through the portal Lady is opening for Petke on the south pole or through Kazamov’s gate, I cannot say. I know this though. This is goodbye. You will never hear from me or the Lady after this, for either you will leave all this business behind, or you will get slain by Kell if you try to interfere in his plans again.

Signed, Eizandra the Huntress

(PS. If you decide that Askellon should be destroyed and you start working for Kell, I am going to ensure your destruction. Just so you know. I hate people who meddle in things. Ironic, I know.)